You Can Still Get Pregnant at That Time of the Month

We’re going to do another round of busting sex myths. This time, we’ll tackle the myth: “I can’t get pregnant if I’m on my period.”

This is FALSE. You can 100% get pregnant while you’re on your period.

While you’re having your period, your chances of getting pregnant are smaller, but by no means are they zero. Even if your period was an effective form of birth control (it isn’t), there are still several ways to slip up and find yourself dealing with an unplanned pregnancy.

A lot of girls also may confuse occasional spotting (when a little bit of blood is released between periods) as the beginning of their period. So, if you thought your period was a birth control method and messed up the timing, you would actually be having sex when you’re most likely to get pregnant. Also, sperm can survive inside the body for up to three days, so you could get pregnant from having unprotected sex even after your period is over. Further, even if your period served as an effective birth control method, it still wouldn’t protect you against sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Instead of trying to time your cycle, you’re better off using birth control methods that are known to be effective, like condoms or the pill (though the pill doesn’t protect against sexually transmitted infections). Or you can use the only 100% effective form of birth control and STI prevention—abstinence. Either way, the fact remains that you can get pregnant while on your period.

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